“It’s not so much [a day off], more so the fact that I think Ludwick has [11] at-bats against Dickey and he’s [3-for-11]. And Schu is 3-for-8, and having some experience with a knuckleballer, I think there’s an advantage to that.” Price said. “And a day off for Billy isn’t the worst thing. My concern isn’t that he can’t do it, it’s just that we knew that when we went into the season there’s going to be a lot of wear and tear. A young center fielder who plays with that type of energy, who steals bases, who covers a lot of ground in center field, who’s 160 pounds, and he’s going to be playing into the late months that he hasn’t done as a regular player before — playing into September and maybe into October — so it just makes sense.”

Because he had no background as a hitter, Price had no real advice for his players about how to handle Dickey, who is 1-1 with a 4.82 ERA in three career starts vs. the Reds but hasn’t faced them since 2012 for the Mets. Price did not that when he was pitching coach for the D-backs, the club had radio analyst and ex-knuckleballer Tom Candiotti to throw batting practice before the D-backs faced the Red Sox and Tim Wakefield.

3 Comments

MW11…I envy you. I have lived in Pasadena, California my entire life, but had the opportunity form 1983-1991 to travel (work) across the US, every state but two; Tennessee and Alaska. I passed a number of time in my early years in front of Wrigley, but always said…”I’ll stop by on another day, no hurry”. But, as time does,
it hurries! Never made it there and it is one of my major regrets; too much attention to work and not enough to smelling the roses…errrr…..in this case, the hot dogs and ambience. Have a lot of fun; I know you will…it’s one ballpark I would love to have visited, but just didn’t grab the brass ring when I had ample chance! Arrrrrrgh!

Neb, oh man. You gotta get yourself out here if you can. I grew up in Cincy. But my Dad being in the steel industry (as well as myself now) was transferred to NW indiana, about 45 minutes away from Chicago. I get to go to Wrigley a lot and the ambience of that ballpark is unlike any other. You have an oppurtunity to change that regret my man. If you can get out here for a weekend in the summer one year, you should bud. I could tickets very easily…..

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